The new edition represents the most significant rules update in our sport in many years and will take effect on the World Snooker Tour from the start of the China Championship qualifiers on 15 August 2019.

Background

Overseen by the WPBSA Rules Committee chaired by Jan Verhaas, in consultation with experienced referees around the world, the update adds clarity and consistency of wording to the existing rules, as well as making a small number of key changes.

With snooker and billiards now played in more countries than ever before, the revised rules have also been written to be easier to translate into other languages.

Jan Verhaas, WPBSA Director and Senior Referee said: “Today is a proud day for everybody involved in this monumental project of revising the rules. Players and former players, professional and amateur referees from all over the world as well as referee examiners and tutors have worked relentlessly over the past two years to produce a revised Rulebook for the games of Snooker and English Billiards and we are confident that we have created a Rulebook to suit the need of our ever developing worldwide sport.”

Application

The first event on the World Snooker Tour to be played under the new rules will be the China Championship qualifiers on 15 August 2019.

This date has been selected out of respect for both the professional calendar and the international amateur calendar, as the first opportunity to introduce the new rules outside of the staging of ongoing amateur competitions or between the qualification and venue stages of a professional event.

Guidance

All referees who will be officiating at the China Championships qualifiers will be invited to participate in a full seminar by Jan Verhaas on 14 August, who will also be on site during the event for the sole purpose of answering any queries that players may have.